Best of Boston

2002 Best Harvard Square Restaurant, Neighborhood

Casablanca

We’ll forgo the hackneyed movie references here. Casablanca, while canonized by the classic picture of its namesake, has forged its own identity as a tried-and-true Harvard Square hangout. Every night of the week pulls in cute young couples huddling over Turkish meze spreads and warm olives, regulars on a first-name basis with the chatty waiters, and Oxford-clad yuppies who kick back in the corners under the shadow of palm fronds. They all converge in the bar-cum-boîte, where high-octane martinis and an accessible wine list only deepen the appeal of this beloved institution.

40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge, 617-867-0999, casablanca-restaurant.com/